The robot we designed can not only operate flexibly through a universal manipulator arm, but also has a wireless charging function that has never been seen in previous lunar exploration missions, "Professor Yu Hongyu, co director of the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Center, told reporters with a fervent expectation for scientific breakthroughs. On April 24, 2025, the National Space Administration officially released the selection results of the Chang'e-8 mission cooperation project for the fourth phase of the lunar exploration project, including the "Lunar Multi functional Operation Robot and Mobile Charging Station" project led by a Hong Kong research team. At that moment, the entire team was very excited. ”Speaking of the situation at that time, Yu Hongyu said, "The deep participation of Hong Kong's scientific research forces in the national lunar exploration project is a powerful driving force that inspires us to constantly break through the boundaries of technology." Challenging the extreme lunar environment, this multi-functional operation robot weighing about 100 kilograms accounts for almost half of the total weight of the Chang'e-8 cooperative payload. As the project leader, Yu Hongyu bluntly stated, "It is not difficult to build a hundred kilogram robot on Earth, but to make it work on the moon, every step is like passing a level." The first challenge is the extreme temperature difference at the south pole of the moon. The longest duration of a moonlit night is 21 days, and the temperature can drop as low as minus 230 degrees Celsius. Due to the lack of atmospheric insulation, the temperature difference between day and night exceeds 200 degrees Celsius. What is the concept of minus 230 degrees Celsius? Liquid nitrogen is only minus 196 degrees Celsius. ”Yu Hongyu said that this means that all materials and parts of the robot must be able to survive in this "ultra-low temperature refrigerator". To this end, the team has designed a "sleep+insulation" strategy, using ultra-low temperature resistant materials and integrating an intelligent thermal control system: allowing the robot to "sleep" on moonlit nights and maintaining it at around minus 50 degrees Celsius with a heating device; Work on 'autonomous wake-up' during the lunar and daylight hours. The issue of lighting is equally tricky. Due to the lack of atmospheric refraction, the distribution of sunlight is uneven, with bright areas being glaring and dark areas being pitch black. The team installed an "intelligent eye" - a visual enhancement system - on the robot, allowing it to "see" road conditions clearly even in the interplay of light and dark. Lightweight is the core constraint of design. ”Yu Hongyu said that due to the limitations of rocket carrying capacity and space resources, every gram of weight needs to be carefully calculated. For this purpose, the team designed the robot as a deployable multi task platform that meets both structural strength requirements and can be carried by the Chang'e-8 lander and autonomously deployed on the lunar surface. Despite facing numerous challenges, Yu Hongyu remains full of confidence. We basically can't see insurmountable obstacles, "he said. The rich experience accumulated by the country's Chang'e lunar exploration over the past 20 years is an indispensable resource for the team. From component selection to thermal control design, mainland experts have provided us with strong support. When university research encountered the initial stage of the aerospace engineering memory project, Yu Hongyu candidly stated that Hong Kong universities' research thinking and aerospace engineering thinking had also been "out of place" when they met. Hong Kong's participation in national space missions has a long history, but this project is the first time that Hong Kong has taken the lead as the overall responsible unit in the development of deep space exploration system level payloads. The project is led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the University of Hong Kong, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the City University of Hong Kong, as well as mainland institutions such as the Shanghai Aerospace Technology Research Institute, Dalian University of Technology, and Shenzhen University, and the South African National Space Agency, to build a cross regional and interdisciplinary research collaboration network. University professors are accustomed to saying 'this theory is feasible', which means they are accustomed to first verifying technical concepts and then gradually improving details. ”Yu Hongyu said that the aerospace system requires locking the traceability of every component from the design stage. So, the team introduced the National Space Project Quality Management System. Establish a strict stage division and task list for the timeline of horizontal scheme design, initial sample verification, and prototype products, and vertically decompose tasks into 9 major subsystems of robots, in order to establish a full process quality traceability system from parts to the whole machine. Although there are often heated discussions at the technical and management levels, everyone is guided by task success, and this collision actually drives innovation and consensus. ”Yu Hongyu said. South African research institutions have unique advantages in solar spectral measurement technology. Yu Hongyu said that Hong Kong's advantage as a "super contact" is evident: it not only deeply integrates the technological accumulation, industrial strength, and talent reserves of the mainland, but also relies on the open characteristics of an international city, with smooth cross-cultural collaboration capabilities. Entering the laboratory, the reporter saw engineers repeatedly discussing the design and optimization of robot flexible grippers. In the view of the overall designer of the project, Fang Huiting, this is a vivid portrayal of the aerospace spirit in the forefront of scientific research: "All problems in aerospace missions must be solved before launch, and there should be no residual problems." Hong Kong's young scientific research forces, who pursue their dreams on the national platform, are in the laboratory, and the simulation animation of the "Lunar Multi functional Operation Robot" is flashing in a loop. In the picture, the robot lifts its sail like solar panel wings and operates on a platform resembling a sailboat. This design is not only designed to adapt to the illumination of the South Pole of the Moon, but also symbolizes' leaning against our motherland and setting sail ', "said Yu Hongyu. 70% of the backbone of this team are young researchers. They integrate professional knowledge such as systems engineering and reliability analysis into practice, taking on heavy responsibilities in key areas such as navigation control and thermal management. The longing of looking up at the stars in childhood has now become a practice of participating in the national lunar exploration project, and this sense of achievement is irreplaceable, "Fang Huiting expressed everyone's feelings. The atmosphere of interdisciplinary collaboration enables young researchers to rapidly transform. Fang Huiting said that space projects involve collaboration in multiple fields such as thermal management, electronics, and materials science. The team size is large, and everyone is focused on solving technical problems without considering personal gains or losses. Behind the growth, there is also the support of the Hong Kong SAR government. The SAR government has established the Hong Kong Space Robotics and Energy Center through the InnoHK Innovation Hong Kong R&D Platform, promoting the landing of the Chang'e-8 cooperation project. The Chang'e-8 mission is scheduled to be launched around 2029, and the work pace in the Hong Kong laboratory is becoming increasingly tight. As night falls, the laboratory lights remain bright, and the modification marks on the drawings complement the fluorescent code on the computer screen. Yu Hongyu said, "We are full of expectations and deeply feel the great responsibility. We will do our best and live up to our mission